Drone strike targets US Embassy in Riyadh, Donald Trump vows swift response

Riyadh (The Uttam Hindu): Military tensions across West Asia continue to escalate as the confrontation involving Israel, the United States, and Iran intensifies. Following joint US-Israeli military action, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes, with reports suggesting that American bases in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait have been targeted. The Israeli military has continued operations in Tehran and Beirut, while two Iranian-backed drones reportedly fell near the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing minor damage but no casualties. Iran has also claimed responsibility for targeting the Arifjan base in Kuwait.

At the White House, US President Donald Trump stated that the military campaign could continue for four to five weeks or longer if required, describing it as a large-scale operation. The US State Department has advised American citizens to leave Gulf countries due to serious security concerns, issuing warnings for several nations across the region. US nationals in Saudi Arabia have been urged to evacuate and avoid the embassy area in Riyadh, with additional advisories to remain vigilant in cities including Jeddah and Dhahran. Saudi authorities said the drone incident led to limited fires and minor structural damage.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed its naval forces targeted US assets in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and confirmed a drone strike on the Arifjan base. In a separate development, a military mishap occurred in Kuwait when the country’s air defense system reportedly mistook three US F-15E fighter jets for hostile aircraft, though all pilots were declared safe. Reports indicate that more than 1,000 sites in Iran have been struck, with thousands of bombs dropped in the initial phase of the conflict, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reportedly killed on the first day of fighting that began on February 28, along with several senior military and political figures.